


Two Wolves

by EquinoxWolf



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Animal Death, Animal Instincts, Animal Transformation, F/M, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:13:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24602923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EquinoxWolf/pseuds/EquinoxWolf
Summary: Rejected and hunted by those who scorn their love, they left the world of man behind. Alone together, they freely roam the forests where no one can ever tear them apart.
Relationships: Link/Midna (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	Two Wolves

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of the short stories that I published on FanFiction during my first year as a fic writer. I recently revised the grammar and choices of words from the original piece.

_Long ago, the land of Hyrule was faced with a dire crisis. Throughout its history the kingdom had stood against many adversities, however in this particular case Hyrule was attacked by a force none could have ever dreamt of. Beings from a realm of shadow entered this world and invaded the kingdom without warning. Unprepared and overwhelmed, the army of Hyrule had no choice other than to submit. The shadow creatures wasted no time and plunged the once bright kingdom into darkness, its people locked in a waking nightmare._

_Only one was able to overcome the foul magic and fight the darkness back, the legendary hero chosen by the gods. Little by little, the hero cleansed the kingdom and restored it to its former glory. With light shining once again, the hero stormed the shadow creatures’ stronghold and singlehandedly slew their leader with the mighty Sword of Evil’s Bane. The dark beings were at last defeated and Hyrule returned to a time of peace._

_Alas, no one expected what became of their beloved hero after his victory. Not long afterwards it was discovered that the hero had found love. To the people’s great dismay, that love was found in none other than the true ruler of the shadow beings, their queen. Betrayal was felt by both sides as was anger and hate. Some tales tell that the hero claimed the shadow queen had helped him rescue Hyrule, however these accounts remain unconfirmed and viewed as no more than hearsay. The shadow beings rejected the hero, calling him conqueror and murderer. Refusing him as their new king, the shadow beings sent assassins to end his life. Refusing to be divided, the hero and the queen sought refuge in Hyrule, yet found none. The people saw the shadow queen as a monster and a witch, slamming their doors in the lovers’ faces._

_Assailants from the darkness pursued the hero and queen even in the light, never relenting in their quest for blood. With nowhere else to turn, the queen used her magic to cast her and her hero’s skins aside and replace them with the pelts of wolves. The new wolves escaped into the forest, venturing deeper than few dared to go. The hunters searched far and wide for many a year but the disgraced hero and queen were never seen again._

* * *

Trees and bushes flew by in a mottled flurry of browns and greens. Sunlight flickered through the thick canopy above, barely illuminating the surrounding woods. The tranquil silence was broken as a dark blur dashed across the root-riddled earth. Frightened by the disturbance, animals dived into the undergrowth and birds took to the skies. The cause of their alarm, a wolf, paid them no mind.

‘ _Just a little further,_ ’ Link told himself, his heart pounding hard and fast in his chest. ‘ _Just a little further._ ’

Wind tore along his muzzle and through his thick grey fur. His paws ripped the soil up in small clumps as he ran, snapping twigs and rustling fallen leaves in his wake. Behind him, Link could hear similar noises as the creature chasing after him gradually grew closer. He dared not look back in fear of stumbling.

‘ _Almost to the clearing... It shouldn’t be far now._ ’

The unmarked path twisted in front of him in an unruly fashion and the ground was terribly uneven. It required all of Link’s attention to weave around the moss-covered trunks. Sometimes the trees grew so close together the space between them was too small to pass through. His pursuer was gaining ground, Link’s sensitive ears told him. He resisted the powerful urge to increase his speed and end up exhausting himself too soon.

Charging over the next hill, Link saw sunlight shining brighter than anywhere else in the dense woods. His spirits lifted; the clearing was no further than a hundred meters away now. He quickened his pace and finally satisfied that nagging instinct to run faster. The light crept closer and closer as triumph filled Link. But then disaster struck.

The ground suddenly gave way beneath Link’s paws and he felt the weightless sensation of falling. He landed heavily on sticks and leaves with a pained yelp. Above him, the pursuing animal passed right by where Link fell, sprinting on ahead without stopping. When Link’s head cleared from the unpleasant surprise, his heart sunk as a delighted cry filled the air.

“YES!!! I win!” whooped a feminine voice. Link let out an aggravated groan as his head dropped to his front paws. Shaking away his disappointment, Link glanced around him. Earthen walls surrounded him from all sides with the floor heavily littered with foliage. Overhead he saw a rough circle showing nothing but the treetops. Link kicked himself. He had fallen into a pitfall trap.

He crouched onto his haunches and sprung off with his powerful hind legs. Link attempted to scramble up the side of the pit, yet the rim was just out of his reach. Landing on all fours, Link backed up a few paces and made a running start before lunging again. He clawed at the pit wall hoping to find some purchase to no avail. Link fell to the floor on his back, having found no more success than his first try. He let out an irritated growl.

As he righted himself, Link heard something padding towards the hole. Looking up, his crystal blue eyes met two yellow ones with red irises that resembled setting suns. Those unusual eyes belonged to a she-wolf with a beautiful black and white coat.

“What are you doing down there?” she asked him. Her clear voice was laced with amusement.

“I didn’t fall in here on purpose,” Link snarled at her. She took no offense at the angry response and instead curled her jowls into a smirk.

“Awww, is the big bad wolf upset because he lost our little race?” the she-wolf teased, lying down on her belly as she continued to stare down at him. Link glared at her indignantly but made no reply. “Come on, Link. Hurry up and climb out of there.”

He growled in annoyance. “Do you seriously think I would still be down here if I could? Help me out, Midna.”

Midna barely managed to suppress a giggle. “I would,” she said, flashing her fangs in a mischievous smile, “If you ask nicely.”

Link resisted the urge to snarl again. “Please, Midna, help me get out of this pit,” he grumbled.

She contemplated the request for a few prolonged moments then smiled. “Ask _nicer_.”

Link shook his head, glaring. “No. I’m not doing it. I already asked, so just get me out of this bloody thing.”

Mock disappointment shone in Midna’s crimson eyes. “That’s a shame. I guess if you don’t have any manners, then there’s nothing I can do.” She stood up and turned around slowly. “I better make myself scarce before the hunter who dug this hole gets back. Otherwise I’ll get caught as well.” Midna then started to walk away.

Link’s snarl echoed from the pit. “Alright, fine!” Midna returned to the edge and sat on her haunches, grinning at how easy it was to manipulate her mate.

After a few seconds of aggravated heavy breathing, Link tilted his head towards the ground at his paws. “Oh, magnificent Midna,” he muttered as loud as he felt he had to, “love of my life and queen of my heart. Your beauty can be compared to no other. Your eyes shine with a radiance that is beyond words and your shadowy pelt is softer than the finest velvet.” Midna’s muzzle moved silently in perfect sync with the words, the corners of her mouth twitching to the point where it was almost painful.

“Humans and animals alike look towards you in awe and envy. Queens and ladies desire you luxurious fur in hopes that it will make them more beautiful. Beasts great and small cower before your pearly-white fangs as they swiftly bring death closer. The goddesses above have graced you with a majesty that stands apart from all others. I am no more than a mangy mongrel in your presence without any right to bask in your glory, as you graciously allow me to. I humbly and pitifully request that your benevolent heart free me from this pit that I have so foolishly fallen into.”

“There, was that so difficult?” Midna teased.

“Just get me out already,” Link snapped. His patience was at its limit.

Midna stood up again and padded off. “Okay, okay. Chill out. Give me a minute to figure something out. Don’t go anywhere.”

‘ _Like I could,_ ’ he thought darkly.

Outside of the pit, Midna searched around for anything she could use. Her gaze fell upon a thick log little under a meter away. Upon closer inspection, she found the wood to be reasonably sturdy. Midna grasped a solid-looking branch with her jaws and began to pull towards the trap. Despite the log’s weight, Midna was able to drag it little by little across the ground. If she got a splinter in her mouth for this, she would be sure to make Link pay for it.

After several minutes the end of the log finally hung over the hole. Seeing what his mate was doing, Link moved himself to the other side to avoid getting crushed. Midna released the branch and adjusted her position so that she could push the log the rest of the way. The effort required was great but eventually the fallen trunk teetered on the rim of the hole. With one last shove, Midna sent it over and into the pit. The log embedded itself in the bottom edge, with the back end poking up outside over Midna’s head.

Link tested the trunk with a tentative paw. The bark was covered in slippery moss but felt stable. He hopped up on the log and managed to keep his balance without it rolling under him. Careful not to lose his footing, Link shuffled up at a snail’s pace until he leaped forward near the top and landed right next to Midna. He turned to her with appreciation.

“Thanks,” he said. Midna gave a pleased smile and nuzzled her mate affectionately. She was secretly glad he was not going to be made into a coat.

Link looked at himself and realised with a frown how dirty he now was. As they searched for a river or pond where he could clean up, Link’s thoughts circled around the hunter’s trap. It had been a long time since he and Midna last encountered any humans. When they first took on their wolf forms, those encounters were often and dangerous. Over time, though, as the stories of what became of them became little more than rumours, the sightings grew fewer with each passing month. Now their only experiences were chance run-ins with hunters. Typically, they left each other alone, so long as the wolves kept their distance. On occasion, however, there was the daring soul who wanted a big catch. Those ones often returned home empty-handed and many times humiliated.

How long had it been since they gave up being human and twili? Link had almost lost track of the years with nothing to gauge time but the changing of the seasons. In the beginning, they rarely dared transform in case someone discovered where they were hiding. Now they stayed as they were more because it felt stranger being humanoid. Of course, that did not stop Link and Midna from occasionally transforming to enjoy the benefits of their true forms. One major downside to being animals was the inability to hold and kiss one another. Any attempts to prove otherwise were awkward and unsatisfying.

Link cast a glance to his mate. How he admired the grace and pride in which Midna walked, even as a beast. Her paws made barely any sound as she stepped with perfect poise. The way she moved made her seem to glide. Link found himself fixated on her, and not for the first time. Midna watched him through the corner of her eye and smirked. She then said something quietly which Link was too distracted to hear.

“And three... two... one.”

Pain exploded in Link’s head as he collided with something hard. Swearing, he looked forward to find that he had drifted right in the trunk of an old pine tree. Midna laughed aloud beside him, barely managing to stay standing. Link threw her a filthy glare.

“You could have warned me, you know,” he growled.

“Could have. Should have. Didn’t want to,” she giggled. “You should be paying more attention. That’s twice today you’ve ran into something you could have easily avoided.”

Link gave an angry huff and quickened his pace, pulling away from her. He could still hear her stifled giggles, making him burn with embarrassment. Somehow, he always managed to do something stupid in front of Midna, even back during the days when they walked on two legs. And every time, she would laugh at him for it. To be fair, he loved her laugh. He simply wished he did not have to hear it at his expense.

A mix of scents and the sound of flowing water snapped him out of his thoughts. Through the trees, Link could make out a line of blue and made a beeline towards the river. Before breaking away from the cover of the forest, Link crouched low to his stomach and honed his senses. Eyes scanned the scene for any potential threats while his nose and ears were on high alert for any strange sounds or smells. Birds chirped in the canopy without a care, and several smaller animals could be seen drinking from the water. Satisfied that there was nothing out of the ordinary, Link crept out into the open while remaining cautious of any danger. Midna followed close behind, mimicking his behaviour.

At the stream’s edge, Link leaned forward and lapped the water with his tongue. Once finished, he then padded into the river and allowed the current to wash away the dirt matting his fur. Midna quenched her own thirst as Link emerged clean and dripping wet. He violently shook the water from his coat, sending a shower that made Midna jump back with an annoyed yelp. He gave her a cheeky grin as she glared at him fiercely.

They were about to return to the trees when a scent caught Link’s attention. He sniffed the air intently as his nose guided him upwind. At his paws, Link found a set of tracks in the mud. A herd of deer had passed through here recently, he realised. The footprints were still fresh and the mouth-watering smell was warm. Link beckoned Midna over and showed his discovery. The way she licked her lips told that she was pleased.

With Link taking point, the two wolves followed the trail. The thrill of the hunt charging them with vigour. In their time, they feasted on many different kinds of prey, but no meat was richer and more rewarding than deer. To catch one required speed and skill, and precision was everything lest you risk your quarry getting away. It had taken the pair much practice and patience to succeed in killing their first doe, Midna, especially, as she had been a novice in hunting, and yet to master her new lupine instincts.

After a while, the wolves stopped running. Link found the herd a short distance ahead. A quick count told him there were about twenty or so grazing on long grass and shrubs. Link and Midna scanned the herd for suitable targets. Once they attacked, the deer would all flee, meaning that there would be no second chance if their first prey escaped. It was far simpler to go after the old or injured ones that could not run as fast.

Finding some, the wolves lowered themselves behind the undergrowth and proceeded towards their separate targets slowly and quietly. Link took each step with great care to avoid alerting the deer of his presence. It would not do to snap a fallen branch and ruin the ambush. He crept closer to a doe standing at the fringe of the herd. Barely a meter apart and divided only by a small bush, the doe showed no indication that it sensed any danger. Link stayed where he was, waiting just a little longer for Midna to get into position. His muscles tensed in anticipation as he readied himself to move at any moment.

The doe suddenly stood upright with its body gone rigid. Link followed the animal’s beady black eyes to see another deer staring out into the woods, breathing low and heavily. Link’s heart skipped a beat. Deer behaved like that when they warned the herd there was danger nearby. This meant one thing; Midna had been spotted. Link burst into action, lunging out from cover at the distracted doe. His fangs snapped at the animal’s throat, his mouth filled with the metallic taste of hot blood. Their momentum brought the deer down to the ground as his predatory instincts took over.

The resulting noise alerted the rest of the herd, which bolted away from the vicious killer as fast as their legs could carry them. Midna pounced at her intended prey, her teeth missing by mere inches. She dashed after the young buck, but it was faster than she had anticipated. By chance, one of the deer’s hooves lashed out and struck her in the side as it veered from her next lunge. Midna was knocked back, winded and immobilised by pain. Link saw none of this, however, as he was too focused on snapping his prey’s neck with his jaws. The dying animal gave one last pitiful cry before it was silenced for good.

Link looked up and around for his next target but found the area empty. Shaking the savage fog from his mind, he returned his attention to his catch. He was about to take a bite when he heard a pained groan. Link snapped his head towards the sound and was alarmed to see Midna lying on the ground. He immediately ran up to her as she struggled to pick herself up.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice an octave higher than he intended.

Midna shook a bit before making the final push to stand up straight. Her breath was short and laboured. “I was almost ready to go. But then some stupid squirrels started arguing over a nut right next to where I was. That deer looked over and saw me.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Link said with a shake of his head. “I was talking about how you were injured.”

Midna noticed his concern. “It’s nothing to worry about,” she assured him. “I just got kicked in the side. I don’t think anything’s broken, though.”

Link was not appeased. “I’m fine. All I need is to eat and rest,” Midna insisted. She took a few small steps forward, wincing as her tender muscles screamed in protest. Link placed his side against hers and guided Midna to the deer carcass. A meter away from the body, Midna decided she could manage the rest of the way on her own, albeit slowly and painfully. Link turned to face her then lowered his head and raised his front paw in a bow.

“After you, my darling,” he offered.

Midna giggled at his gentleman act. She thought it sweet of Link to let her feed from his kill first. He often did kind things like this for her; whether it was a gift of flowers, giving her larger shares of meat when it was scarce, or bringing a few extra hares to their den when Midna felt unwell. She felt blessed to be loved by someone as special as Link. He was the only thing that made this dirty and uncertain life in the wilderness worthwhile. She had sacrificed so much just to be with him; wealth; power; even a warm bed to sleep in. Despite it all, Midna had no regrets; so long as she was with the hero she loved.

She sank her teeth into the doe’s soft belly. Midna’s stomach gave its appreciation as she filled it with fresh venison. When she had her fill, Midna stepped aside so that Link could take his turn. She had long since grown used to eating meat straight from the animal and watched her mate feast unperturbed.

In the corner of her vision, Midna saw a family of foxes hiding in the shadows nearby, waiting to scavenge the wolves’ leftovers. She paid them little mind. There was more than enough meat for both her and Link, and foxes had to eat, too. They just had to wait in line for those higher up on the food chain. Midna then noticed a couple of pups keeping close to their mother and studied them with a mild interest.

By the time Link was done, most of the choice parts of the carcass were gone, leaving the smaller internal organs and the legs untouched. He and Midna walked no further than twenty feet when the fox family dashed out from cover. They devoured the remaining meat with fervour.

After the day’s excitement, all Midna wanted to do right then was find a nice safe place to lie down so her aching side could recover. Their den was not far away, only being perhaps a ten-minute run from where the wolves currently were. Despite the relatively short distance, Midna’s injury slowed them down considerably. Moving too quickly caused her great discomfort, meaning they could go no faster than a strolling pace.

When the trees gave way to rocky terrain, the sun had already begun to set for the night. Soon all they had to go by was the moonlight and their sharp nocturnal vision, one of several benefits of being wolves. Both Midna and Link sighed in relief as they finally arrived at the cave that served as their home. The entrance was low and narrow, though still large enough for them to pass through with ease. Inside, the tunnel went deeper into the outcropping, where it led off to several other entrances located around the hill.

Midna lowered herself in front of the cave mouth, groaning as she took the strain off of her injury. Link padded up beside her and lied down on his stomach. He felt her press into him. With a warm smile, he responded in kind. Together, they gazed up at the stars as they did every night. Out here, away from the dense forest canopy, the constellations shone radiantly against the black sky.

Stars were one of the greatest wonders of the world, in Midna’s opinion. Where she had come from, where the sky of her world burned with the eternal gold of twilight, stars were unheard of. Midna searched for her favourite constellations and took the pleasure of drawing new ones with her mind. She soon saw two sets stars floating close together with two smaller clusters nearby. It was almost as though the shapes were a family: two children standing close to their parents. Suddenly, her thoughts turned to the foxes from earlier. Midna felt an empty gap open in her chest.

She climbed up on top of Link with her front half lying on his back, finding the new position to be far more comfortable. He did not complain, instead closing his eyes peacefully. Midna thought more about what could possibly be troubling her. If she had to describe it simply, she supposed that she was feeling lonely. But how could that be when she spent her days with Link? She could not imagine being apart from him, so why would she still feel lonely? Was it that she wanted more than just his company? The more questions she asked, the more Midna understood what she was yearning for.

“Hey, Link,” she started, feeling slightly awkward.

Link opened his eyes and turned his head back towards her. “Yeah, what’s up? Is your wound hurting you?”

Midna shook her head. “No, that’s not it. I was just thinking about something. You know back when we caught that deer earlier?”

“You mean when _I_ caught that deer?” Link corrected her with a sly grin. “What about it?”

Midna rolled her eyes but otherwise ignored her mate. “While you were eating, I saw these foxes hiding in the bushes. Two mates and their pups. It got me thinking... we’ve been out here for so long now, but it’s always been just us. Don’t take it the wrong way. I love you and nothing will ever change that. But I feel like I need more than that.”

Link frowned as he pondered her words. “You know that the other packs don’t take kindly to us,” he warned. “Remember that run-in we had a few months back?” They had been outnumbered three-to-one then. It was lucky for them that the encounter had not turned into a fight. There were a few snaps and growls, but Link resolved the conflict by turning away. It had cost him and Midna some territory, but at least they were unharmed. Gone were the days when swords and armour would have given them the advantage.

“That’s not what I meant,” Midna replied. “What I was really thinking was: what if there were more than just us here? What if we started a family?”

Link’s mind started when he registered what she was proposing. He began to think on the matter himself. What if they had pups of their own? Already, Link could see a litter of smaller wolves running around the den, tumbling over each other as they played. He saw himself teaching the young ones how to hunt and survive. He saw them all sleeping in a huddled pile to keep warm during cold winter nights. Link saw all that and found that he wanted it, too. It was a kind of longing that he never realised he had been feeling before.

“You know, that’s not a bad idea,” he finally answered with a soft smile. He looked to his mate. “Alright. If that’s what you really want, then I say we do it.”

The glimmer in Midna’s eyes filled Link with tremendous joy. She reached down and licked him on the muzzle. “I love you, Link.”

“I love you too, Midna,” he said.

* * *

_There is an old legend telling of creatures that dwelt within the deepest woods. These creatures came in the form of wolves that could think and walk like men. Some claim that their bite corrupts the victim, turning them into wolf-men themselves. It is also said though that few people see the creatures and return alive to confirm these tales. No one knows for certain. It is said that if you venture out into the forest on the night when the moon is the fullest, you can hear the howls of these beasts as they roam freely through the darkness. Should you hear them, it is wisest to turn the other way, else you shall fall to a fool’s fate. The world is full of many mysteries and some are best to be left as such._


End file.
